Addressing machine



Jan. 10, 1928.- 1,655,791

J.YKRELL ADDRES S ING MACHINE Filed Oct. 4, 1926 Patented v Jan. 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH KRELL, OF BERLIN-PANKOW, GERMANY.

ADDRESSING MACHINE.

Application filed October 4, 1926, Serial No.

My invention relates to addressing machines and more particularly to improvements in the operation of the multiple switches in machines of the type described in U. S. Patent No. 1,532,890 in which the printing plates on their way through the machine operate switching levers by means of projections on their lower faces, causing the levers to rock and to close the circuits of control magnets.

It is an object of my invention to operate the switches in a more reliable manner than in the machines as hitherto constructed and to this end, instead of direct engagement and immediate release of the switching levers by the printing plates, I provide means for maintaining the switches in the make position as long as the printing plates are moving through the machine.

In the old type, with direct engagement of the switching levers and immediate release by the printing plates, the periodof make is obviously very short and it has been found that often the control magnets do not 0perate properly or not at all in this short period, particularly when the machine is operated rapidly.

This drawback is overcome in my invention in which a rail or slide is interposed between the projections on the printing plates and the switching levers, each switching lever being connected with a separate rail. The rail is depressed by the projection on the printing plate, holding the switching lever in its operative position and making the circuit of the corresponding control magnet as long as the printing plate is moving through the machine. In this manner the circuit of the electromagnet closed not for an instant, as in the old machine, but for an ample time, and the magnet may be relied on to perform its functions properly.

In the drawings, a multiple switch and the parts of an addressing machine adjacent to it are illustrated by way of example, the control magnets and their circuits not being shown in detail.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the table of the machine showing the multiple switch in its inoperative position,

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the switch viewed in the direction of the arrow II,

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the switch, and

Fig. l is a section similar to Fig. l but 139,526, and in Germany October 20, 1925.

showing the mechanism in its operative position. I

Referring now to the drawings, a is the table of the addressing machine on which the printing plates Z are adapted to slide. The multiple switch constitutes a unit built up from a set of plates 1) of insulating material in a metal frame 2 below the table o. The plates Z) are spaced apart equally and switches are arranged in the spaces between them.

Each switch comprises a pair of contact levers 0 and 1* which are adapted to rock about pivots p and r on the plates 1) and provided with springs g and a, respectively,

both springs tending to force their respective levers downwards. If desired, all the levers 0 of a switch may be arranged on a common pivot extending transversely through the frame 2. The spring a is partly inserted in a support 6' which also supports the pivot r of the contact lever 92' e is a conducting plate on the lever r and e and e are electric conductors connected to the parts 0 and (1, respectively. p is a conductor which is connected to the pivot 72 of the lever 0, ()lbtO the common pivot of all the levers.

g, m is an angular switching lever for each switch and is adapted to rock on a pin 7. The short arm on of the switching lever is engaged by a block a of insulating material on the contact lever 0 which tends to force the arm m down under the action of the spring q and causing the long arm 9 of the switching lever to engage a contact (Z on the support 0'. This is the initial position of the switching lever as shown in Fig. l.

The upper end of each long arm 9 projects through a slot 71 in the table 0 and, in the old system, is directly engaged by projections /c on the lower faces of the printing plates Z. The plates move from the right to the left as indicated by the arrow 7 in Fig. 1 and when the projections engage the upper ends of the switching levers g, m the levers will be turned on their pivots f, turning the levers 0 upwards by their blocks 7L and making contact between the levers 0 and 7, as shown in Fig. l. The springs g and u are compressed when contact is made and their reaction tends to return the switching levers to the initial position in Fig. 1 as soon as their upper ends are released by the projections 70. This operation, as explained, is unsatisfactory.

To overcome this drawback, I connect with the upper end it of each lever g, m a rail 3 which engages the end of the lever with a hook at its front end. The rail is provided with curved slots at 4:, +2 and supported on pins 5, 5 of the table a by these slots. The slots extend rearwardly and upwardly from the pins 5 so that the plate when depressed by engagement of the projections 73 with its edge 6 performs a combined downward and forward motion. 8 is a partition inserted in each space between the plates Z) and partly recessed for the rail 3 to move in the partition, the object of the partition being to prevent access of dirt and metal. particles from the printing plates 7 to the parts of the switching mechanisms.

9 is a brush extending across the table a for cleaning the projections 7.: ofthe plates -The operation of my-iniprovcd switching mechanism is as follows:

\Vhen a printing plate? is moved along I the table as indicated by the arrow 7 its projection 70 engages and depresses one of the rails 3. As explained the rail on being depressed moves forward and rocks the switchinglever g, 912. into its operative position as shown in Fig. i so that the contact 0, Wis closed. It will be understood that the rail 3 is held in its depressed and advanced position while the projection 7e moves along its upper edge 6, that is, as long as the printing plate Z is moving past the table a. \Vhen the projection is has released the forward edge of the rail, the rail returns to its initial position under the reaction of the springs q and M.

It will be understood that in this manner ample time is allowed to the control magnets for performing their respective functions and the machine will operate reliably.

I claim:

1. In a switch for making and breaking a. control circuit in an addressing machine of the type having a guideway through which a plurality of plates having projections are moved, an angular operating lever, a rail arranged in engagementwith the lever and positioned in the guideway and adapted to be displaced by contact with the projection on the printing plate so as to maintain said lever in the make position of the switch while a printing plate is moving through the machine.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein a partition is arranged between the rail and the switch operating parts to form asupport for the rail and a cover for the switch.

3. An arrangement as claimed in. claim 1, wherein a partition is arranged between the rail and the switch operating parts to form a support for the rail and a cover for the switch, and brushing means on the upper surface of the partition for cleaning the pro jections on the plates prior to contact of the latter withthe rail.

4. A switch adapted to make and break a control circuit inan addressing machine of the type having a guideway through which a plurality of plates having projections are passed, including a plurality of angular levers for operating the switch, a'plurality of movably supported rails arranged in engagement with the upper ends of each of the operating levers and positioned beneath the guideway and adapted to be displaced by contact with the corresponding projections on successive printing plates as the latter pass through the machine, so as to maintain the corresponding lever in the make position of the switch while a printing plate is moving through the machine.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification at Berlin, this 20th day of September, 1926.

JOSEPH KRELL. 

